In February 2006, GFS Project
limited (Peterborough, UK) has released to the public, a mockup of a
Remote Controled Flying Saucer designed by Geoff Hatton. This device,
propelled by an electric engine, uses the Coanda effect to take off
vertically, fly, hover and land vertically ( VTOL ). There is no big rotor
likea on an helicopter and the flight is very stable and safe for the
surrounding. After watching the video of the Hatton's GFS, I have been
fascinated and I have decided to study and test deeply this GFS device...

It is interesting
to notice that the 1st real UAV Coanda effect flying saucer has been
tested successfully by Viktor Schauberger during the WWII....

The Coanda Effect has
been discovered in 1930 by the Romanian aerodynamicist Henri-Marie Coanda
(1885-1972). He has observed that a stream of air (or an other fluid)
emerging from a nozzle tends to follow a nearby curved surface, if the
curvature of the surface or angle the surface makes with the stream is not
too sharp.

Today, the Coanda
effect is fully used in the NOTAR (NO TAil Rotor ) helicopters. The
dangerous tail rotor of the helicopter has been replaced by a special and
safer nozzle placed at the tail which uses the Coanda effect.

It is important to
notice that such a device uses an aerodynamic effect and needs air to fly,
there is no link with antigravity, electrogravity or electrokinetics
propulsion device. So, why am I interested by such an aircraft ? simply
because the GFS is unconventional comparing to a common helicopter and
also because the efficiency of the propeller can be greatly increased by
the Coanda effect. Such an aircraft is also much safer than a common
helicopter. This is one of the best design for building an efficient UAV...

So, for the first step
of my project, I have designed and modelized the GFS on a professional
computer simulation software called AFPD (Aerofly Pro Deluxe). AFPD uses
one of the most advanced flight physics ever implemented in a computer
simulation. Today, the GFS flight model has been fully replicated on AFPD
and I have been able to test the craft in various conditions (wind, gusts,
payload...). The next step is to test a true model in real condition.

Notes from Jean-Louis Naudin
: The GFS test flights are not finished, this is only the beginning of the
project and I shall update my web site with all the technical details
about my GFS UAV construction and the real flights datas results...